Loose leaf binder



April 3, 1934. G. D. AREND LOOSE LEAF BINDER 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25 gvvlmwto't I (ieorge Jlflrend,

dbbomq April 3, 1934. G. D. AREND 1,953,902

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed July 25. 1930 2 SheecS Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Re n ton Band Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application July 23, 1930, Serial No. 470,072

3 Claims.

1. of sheet metal and having covers hinged there to, are hinged face to face and have staggered opposingly related prongs extending therefrom, so that by moving the members apart about their hin e a i th pp n p n s may be sep d u for inserting thereover loose leaves of paper or the like, and that by moving the members together the prongs of each member will be brought into contact with the other member, thus locking the paper upon the prongs. An operating bar m; extends longitudinally of the chamber of one back member and functions to actuate latches associated with the two back members, so that they may be latched together in closed position or held in partially open position, in which the M binder is usually placed when it is desired to ex.- arnine or leaf through the papers therein. As the covers are freely hinged to the back members it is necessary when the binder is to be closed em op n p i n to p the oppos te s des o so: he ack memb s, a the s m im re eaSins the catches, and then press the back members oset The present invention comprehends a binder construction of this general type or character, M which may be closed from open or partially open position by moving the cover members together, thereby making it unnecessary to touch the back or catch members to close the binder. This has been done by providing a novel hinge construc- $9 tion between the cover and back members which, while allowing free outward swinging movement of the covers, provides for the operation and movement of the back members by the covers we into closed position when the covers are closed. Catch or latching means have also been provided which will operate automatically upon inward movement of the covers to latch or look the back members together in partially open or fully closed positions. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the covers in open position, the back members being fully closed, and portions thereof being broken away to show he" one of the latch members.

(Cl. 129-T17) Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the binder in the position shown in Fig. l.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged end elevations depicting the device in opened, partially opened and closed positions, respectively, the different angularities that the cover members may assume in these positions being indicated by broken lines.

The improved binder has a pair of back members 11 and 12, preferably formed of metal, and built up of angles 13 and substantially ,zshaped members 14, the ends of the Z-members being flanged at 15 which results in the back members being of closed chambered formation. These. back members are hinged together at 16, the hinges being at the rear adjacent corners so that when the back members are closed their inner walls will be disposed side by side as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. Cover members 17 are hingedly connected at 18 to the free edges of the back members 11 and 12, the hinge means comprising leaves 19 fixedto the cover members 17 and pivotally connected to the outer flanges of the Z-members 14, which also function as hinge leaves. The members 14 are formed with inwardly extending channel portions 21, which are apertured to provide seats for the ends of the curved binding or leaf retaining prongs 2 2. These prongs are mounted upon the back, or prong supporting members in alternating or staggered relation so that when the binder is closed they lie as shown in Figs 1 and 2. These prongs are spaced a substantially uniform distance apart and a substantial number of prongs are used so that visibly indexed sheets may be used therein.

Flat metal strips 23 are welded or otherwise secured to the leaf-members 19, extending over the hinge axes 18 and, while permitting free outward and inward movement of the cover mem: bers, between the dotted and full line positions shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 about the axes 18, these strips will limit the inward movement to the dotted line position, in which they are in abutment with the shoulders 21 provided in the formation of the channel portions 21. The cover members, when moved inwardly toward each other will cause these strips 23, or operating bars as they may be termed, to engage the shoulders 21' on the back members and thereafter move the back members about their hinged connection 16 into closed position.

The back members have registering holes 25 in the adjacent sides through which the latches 26 project when the binder is closed. These latches are mounted on pivots 28 within the outwardly to the positions shown in Figs. 3

chamber of back member 12 and are preferably curved to be substantially concentric with the hinge axis 16. As best shown in Fig. 1, two detent lugs 29 and 30 are provided on each latch, the inner edges of these lugs being adapted for engagement with the side Wall of back member 11 adjacent the aperture 25 therein. The outer edges of the lugs are curved to provide cam surfaces for engaging the edges of the holes 25 during closing movement of the back members.

The latches are simultaneously actuated by an operating bar 32 pivoted to the latches at 33. The bar is slidably mounted in the end walls or flanges 15 of the back member 12 and is provided with a finger piece 34 at one end. The opposite end is reduced to form a shoulder 35 with which the spring 36, arranged on the reduced end, engages, the spring acting to yieldingly hold the latches in engagement with the edges of the aperture 25.

When in the closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the binder may be opened by pressing the finger piece 34 inwardly, releasing the latches and allowing the back members to be moved and 4. When in the open position of Fig. 3, loose leaves or papers may be threaded over the curved prongs. The binder may be brought to the position of Fig. 4 by moving the cover members inwardly to the dotted line position of that figure, the cam surfaces of the detent lugs 29 engaging the aperture edges and automatically assuming a latching position when the binder parts assume the relationship shown in Fig. 4..

It is in this position that the binder is usually placed when it is desired to examine or leaf through the papers it contains. The binder may be completely closed by inward movement of the cover members to the dotted line position of Fig. 5 and will be held in this position by the to partially open positions and latched from partially open to closed positions and latched by movement of the cover members, without manipulating any other parts of the device. This result. is attained by utilizing cover hinge and T latch members having the features hereinbefore described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a binder of the type having a pair of chambered back members disposed side by side and hingedly' connected at their adjacent rear edges, each back member being provided with inwardly curved binding prongs, the adjacent walls of said back members having registering openings therein, a plurality of latches pivotally mounted within the chamber of one back member to project through the openings therein and into the openings of the other back member, at least one of said latches being provided with a plurality of detent lugs adapted to coact with an edge of the opening of the other back member, whereby the back members may be held releasably in closed position or in an outwardly inclined relation relative to each other, and an operating bar slidably mounted within one of said members and having pin and slot connections to said latches, a construction wherein the outer edges of said detent lugs are formed to provide cam surfaces, and wherein cover members are hingedly connected to said back members, and stop means affixed to said cover members for abutment with said back members, whereby said back members may be closed by movement of said cover members.

2. In a binder oi the type having a pair of chambered back members disposed side by side and hingedly connected at their adjacent rear edges, each back iernber being provided with inwardly curved binding prongs, the adjacent walls of said back members having registering openings therein, and a latch pivotally mounted within the chamber of one back member to project through the opening therein and into the opening of the other back member, said latch being provided with a plurality of detent lugs adapted to coact with an edge of the opening in the other back members, whereby the back members may be held releasably in closed position or in an outwardly inclined relation relative to each other, a construction wherein the outer surfaces of the detent lugs are provided with cam surfaces and wherein cover members are secured to plates pivoted to said back members, strips being secured to said plates for abutment with said back members, whereby the binder may be brought from open to partially open or closed positions by inward movement of said cover members.

3. In a binder, a pair of prongs supporting members connected for relative movement to open and closed positions, cover members hinged to the free edges of the prong supporting members, and stop strips on the cover members adjacent to the hinged edges thereof for abutment with the post supporting members, whereby said cover members may be moved outwardly relative to each other about their respective hinge axes and moved inwardly about said hinge axes until the stop strips abut the prong sup porting members, and whereby continued inward movement of the cover members will cause, by reason of said abutment, the prong supporting members to move therewith to closed position.

GEORGE D. AREND. 

